'Torbay Express' 2013

Braunton left Bristol in the sun more less on time departure was very sedate blowing off at Parsons street.

 

Braunton past Broadsands. Slow and labouring with the load. Not the horse for the course! Great to see her back in action though

 

Good steady run to arrive Paignton 2 late. Slipping up Whiteball in the rain with 430 tons so 27.4 min, then74 max. My first main line run with Braunton since September 1965

Great to have her back and worth getting up at 0530 for.

Don

Don

 

Zipped through Goodrington Sands fairly nicely when I was over there earlier this afternoon. Nice busy few minutes with D7535 around and 7827 looking as good as ever on the service train.

 

BR(S) Rebuilt Light Pacific 4-6-2 no 34046 Braunton returns the Torbay Express to Bristol, passing Broadsands

 

Odd to think that in the history of steam before the end in 1968, there was. for sure, no occasion when a rebuilt West Country (or non-rebuilt for that matter) ever ran over the Newton Abbot to Paignton/Kingswear branch and so although we all applaud Braunton on the Torbay Express in 2013, in no way does it represent anything prototypical.

 

Doesn't help there are only 2 GWR class 7/8 Air braked loco's, one of which is in a few hundred pieces currently.

 

Not strictly true either, I have a pic of a Prairie piloting a Spam Can through Kingskerwell in a book somewhere, on a tour of some sort.

 

Braunton is a superb loco, and we shouldn't be too precious about whether she ever worked the Kingswear branch. Due to family commitments, I could only watch her on the outward trip, but she looked good climbing Whiteball on a wet set of rails. I look forward to seeing her on 21 September going to Okehampton.

John

 

Here's my video of Braunton today, taken at Whiteball (2 locations) and Dawlish Warren.

 

Does anybody else think that the tender is a slightly darker shade of green? Seen various videos and it looks a bit darker! Also, the headboard does not suit it, looks a bit low, like it's dropped down from the top of the smoke box! However, great to see another engine on the mainline, performing well! Well done to all involved!

 

If Southern loco's saw more frequent use, someone would of probably knocked up a Southern headboard variant by now.

 

Had a great day chasing Braunton..apart from a problem on the motorway that stopped us gettin one more shot after Taunton.....

Heres my video of the day..

 

Nick. I rejoined the M5 motorway at Wellington. The traffic was back to normal speed soon after although very busy at Taunton.
I just managed to get to Huntspill to see the train once again. Braunton was 16 late at Whiteball on the return but only 5 late at Huntspill. <BJ>

 

My video from the Torbay Express with 34046 Braunton. Caught at Dawlish Warren on the outward, Goodrington Sands ahead of servicing, Paignton and finally Torre.

James at SVN

 

Possibly true (although post #228 suggests otherwise), but does it matter. For me, one of the great things about steam on the mainline is the variety, whether it's re-creating the past with the right loco on the right route, taking a class of loco where it's never been before or perhaps re-creating a one of or infrequent event.

 

Indeed. I have now had the pleasure of witnessing a Castle, King, A1, SR light Pacific (rebuilt and spam can), A4, LMS Princess, BR Unique 8P - all climbing up and drifting back down past the bottom of my garden on a Torbay Express - I for one am very happy with the non prototypical!! Just waiting for a Duchess Pacific. Merchant Navy, Lord Nelson, Black 5, 8F, Jubilee, Scot to do the honours.......

 

Looks like it might be. I have brightened this pic up a bit, which shouldn't have affected colours, certainly not any relative differences. This was in shade, so would be interesting to see a shot in the sun.

 

You can see the colour difference in James's video at 4:43.

 

Not actually on Torbay Expresses, but a Merchant Navy (35005) and a one Black Five (45407) have already been to Kingswear. I've also been to Kingswear with a pair of Halls and a Manor (not that the latter is particularly unusual on the PDTDVSRRBBCo). Don't hold your breath for a Nelson, but the others may happen.